India is passing through her most critical - perhaps dangerous - times. World's largest Democracy, India has today become the largest cesspool of official corruption, crime, political opportunism and caste/communal animosities. Political Parties are now Family Corporates, Bureaucracy their franchisee and crony capitalists their partners as they embark upon plundering the Nation together. Time for India to wake up and restart! One Anna or Kejriwal is not enough - Karan Kharb

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Sunday, August 12, 2012

Karan Kharb's e-mail to Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister

11 Aug 2012

Respected
Madam,

Consequent to the implementation
of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, the country has witnessed unrest
vented by soldiers – serving and retired – in an unprecedented
manner. Now, cases of suicide, fratricide and mass insubordination are on the
rise in military Units and Formations deployed in sensitive areas. Retired military
officers, JCOs and Jawans, on the other hand, have come out on the roads and, as
an expression of strong resentment against injustice, returned their medals
en-masse along with petitions signed in blood. Fuelled by persistent Government
apathy, their simmering unrest is now reaching its bursting point as is evident
from the mutinous situations that have started erupting in active military
units – a worrisome phenomenon never seen earlier. If examples were needed,
Samba in J&K is the latest.

While there is urgency for the Government to sit up and act without
delay, the seemingly unconcerned regime has continued its step-motherly
treatment of soldiers, ignoring their sacrifices and neglecting their most
justified needs. What is it if not wholly ridiculous and illogical that a Pay
Commission, unfairly composed only from the Civil Services, should be arbitrarily
deciding on the needs, necessities and entitlements of soldiers despite total
absence of any military experience and without any military representative on
the panel to aid and advise it on peculiarities and unique conditions of
military service? The composition of the Committee of Secretaries under the
Cabinet Secretary’s chairmanship later ordered to resolve the anomalies has
only added insult to the injury because, again bereft of any military
representative on it like the Pay Panel, this too would perpetuate the legacy
of bureaucratic red tape and negation. Such dispensation surely does not
inspire confidence among the soldiers – serving or retired – especially at a
time when their morale is low and anger at boiling point.

It hardly needs elaboration that owing to this worsening neglect, military
as a career has lost its charm and appeal for thecountry’s
younger generation whereas their fathers and grandfathers drew all their pride
and honour from this very profession. Others either marvelled or envied them; and
that was not too long ago!

One example of Government apathy is the long outstanding demand of Ex-servicemen
– One Rank One Pension (OROP). You are well aware that every Government, every political
Party including Congress and several Parliamentary Committees have
unequivocally endorsed this justified demand. You and the Hon’ble Prime Minister too have voiced
your support to it – but, sorry Madam, all these promises and assurances have remained
illusory. No wonder soldiers’ faith in
the system is waning.

I am attaching herewith a copy of our letter No 27035/A/OROP(Pet) dated 21 April 2011 submitted to the Chairman,
Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha Sectt along with its enclosures in which
the main problems have been explained in some detail. We regret that since then
the situation has only deteriorated further.

Alarm bells are ringing.The
Chiefs of the Armed Forces are learnt to have briefed the Committee of
Secretaries giving their opinions and recommendations, which deserve to be
treated with the respect, concern and urgency that is due to them. Ironically, however,
their being at the helm perhaps restrains them from displaying the situation in
its real alarming proportions even as they are doing everything within their
powers to douse the flames in their backyards. Therefore, any comfort drawn from such
dutiful, humble ‘all okay’ reporting should not induce complacence.

As concerned and worried citizens, we bring these facts to your kind
notice because we believe that in your capacity as Chairperson of the UPA, you
can address this burning issue more effectively before it is too late.Now, in the interest of national security, it
is up to you how you choose to act to ensure that the Indian Armed Forces are
maintained at the highest morale and spirits to deal with the adversaries who
are building up their fighting potential in many ways – across the borders and
within. A not-so-friendly neighbourhood
with nuclear stockpiles in unsteady hands and the evolving global scenario call
for the Indian military to be the world’s best.We hope you will address the burning problem with the urgency it
deserves and initiate immediate actions to boost up the sagging morale and
spirit of the Armed Forces of India.

Contributors

Welcome to People Power

People are the Nation. Let's do everything in our power to multiply and build up 'People Power'. We must force the Government to rid the system of corruption and callousness. The least we can do is to expose and humiliate the corrupt officials, self-serving politicians, Vadra-DLF or Gadkari type of business culture, and the divisive forces destroying public goodwill in the name of caste, religion and region.

Fortunately, all these evils are not too many. Nor are they too brave. Anna, Ramdev and Kejriwal have exposed how timidly and stupidly the corrupt react. All evil is concentrated in a few hands at the top from where the fountain of corruption flows downwards. This muck, therefore, cannot be cleaned up from bottom upwards. The clean up has to start from the top!